Why couldn't my dad be diagnosed earlier?

My Dad just passed away from pancreatic cancer on 3/6/07.  He was just diagnosed with it on 3/5/07.  He was in the hospital for 3 weeks prior to his passing.  He initially was admitted to the hospital for cellulitus in his legs.  He was put on IV antibiotics.  That didn't seem to work.  We were then told his kidneys were failing and the doctors started him on dialysis.  After about a week he started feeling much better but still was not eating much.  He had lost a lot of weight and was depressed prior to being admitted to the hospital. The doctors then said something else was going on but didn't know for sure so they took a CT from the neck down and found 3 masses.  One on his pancreas, liver and one on his lungs.  The doctors did a needle biopsy of his liver and told us he had pancreatic cancer.  This was on a Monday and he died the next day.  I just don't know how they couldn't see this earlier.  He was hospitalized back in November of 2006 with heart failure.  He had a number of tests done. Shouldn't something have showed up somewhere?  He also was diabetic and back in November he was retaining a lot if fluid.  So much that he was put on water pills.  Can anyone relate to this?  It just seems like this whole situation just snowballed into a big mess.  I just want to know how long he had this cancer but I can't get any answers.  I'm still in shock.  My dad was only 73 years old and he died on my 50th birthday. 

>>An estimated 33,730 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006, with 32,300 deaths predicted, according to the ACS. The disease occurs slightly more often in men than women. Approximately 5 percent of people diagnosed with cancer of the exocrine pancreas will survive 5 years or more. <<

I am very sorry about your dad.  I know that this is not nice to say but my mom has been battling this terrible disease for almost 3 years.  It is coming to the end of the battle, this is what hospice tells me.  She has lost about 50 lbs, she now weighs about 75 lbs.  Her quality of life is terrible, she can not be too far from a bathroom.  She is on liquid morphine and pill morphine to keep her pain under control.  I wish my mom peace, be glad that you did not see your dad suffer everday just waiting to die.  Everytime I leave my Mom I don't know if this will be the last time that I see her, but in a way I don't want her to suffer anymore.  I know that this is a very hard time now for you, but be glad that he went fast. Pray for a cure!!

Again I am very sorry!!

I'm sorry for your loss.  My father passed away on March 25/07 just shy of his 62nd birthday.  He had been diagnosed in Feb/march 06 only on a fluke finding from a regular blood test he had taken because he was on medication for rheumatoid arthritis.  Even after the abnormal findings it took 3 months to figure out what was going on. 

From my understanding, this cancer is so much like ovarian cancer where there are few signs if any.  Usually people are diagnosed when they end up jaundiced.  My father said he wouldn't have even sought out medical help until about oct./06 and then who knows how long it would have taken to diagnose.

I have to say I have been looking for runs and events that benefit pancreatic cancer and there isn't much out there.  Its all so hard to take right now.

Again, sorry for your loss.

EJ